Without Broadband Tax Ban, Consumers Will Get Hosed

December 11, 2015

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, the House passed, by a 256-158 vote, HR.644, a trade bill that contains the “Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act,” which would permanently ban states and localities from imposing Internet access taxes and multiple or discriminatory taxes on electronic commerce.

“Without an Internet access tax ban, state and local governments can declare open season on consumers’ broadband bills,” said Tom Struble, Policy Counsel for TechFreedom. “Consumers are already facing the prospect of higher broadband bills under the FCC’s Title II regime, with the agency imposing burdensome new regulations on ISPs and likely to soon impose universal service fees on Internet access as well. Let’s not make the problem worse by allowing state and local governments to pad their budgets with Internet taxes, which would discourage broadband adoption and investment. Temporary extensions of the Internet tax ban are good, but they perpetuate uncertainty. The Senate should act quickly to make the ban permanent.”

Today, TechFreedom joined a coalition of free-market groups in urging Congress to enact a permanent ban on Internet taxes by passing HR.664. Click here to read the coalition letter.

Tech Freedom is a non-profit, non-partisan technology think tank launched in 2011. TechFreedom is excited about the future. Focusing on issues of Internet freedom and technological progress, we work to protect innovation and discovery from powers that fear change. Technology is the great driver of social progress and human well-being, and we aim to keep it that way.